Teen Series | Jesus' high priestly prayer: a valuable lesson for students on the splendor of unity

Senior School Reflection | Gospel of John 17: 11 - 19, 7th Wednesday of Easter, 2026, Year B

Last week Years 7-9 students played a great game of football. We won the first game, lost the second, then smashed the third. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to the finals due to percentage. But that’s okay, because by the end of the third game we had played so well as a team that we came off the field feeling good about the end result and confident in our performance; we saw it in the way they celebrated. That was a win in itself. When I think about those games, the word that comes to mind is unity: a team working together as one. 

So what does unity mean? It means wholeness, completeness, one. When people are united, they work together; when the mind, heart, and soul are in harmony, the body and its nervous system functions well. For Aristotle, unity had several applications: unity of being (metaphysics); poetics (drama); time and place; and politics. The application most suited for communities is politics: the way school communities organise themselves and the rules they set. Many benefits arise from being a united body of people. Last week we played well as footballers; that was a sign of unity. Hopefully next term, when Grades 5 and 6 give their stage performance, spectators will go away feeling impressed, the students performing will feel a sense of accomplishment and pride, and everyone involved will feel uplifted. Unity therefore is an important value for any community to pursue. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus makes a pastoral prayer to the Father, and the essence of his prayer is also unity. The key word that denotes unity is the Greek word ἕν (hen), translated as “one”: “so that they may be one like us.” The motivation behind this prayer is found both in context and within the text itself. The prayer is spoken on the night of the Last Supper, and Jesus says: “But now I am coming to you… I say these things.” Jesus knew that his disciples would face fear, division, temptation and abandonment soon after his death. There are several things Jesus asked the Father to do to keep them united: that the disciples be protected from the evil one, and that the Father sanctify them in the truth. 

The Christian life is not a call to a passive existence but to a public witness of holiness, hence Jesus’ prayer: “I am not asking you to remove them from the world but to protect them.” It can be difficult to be a witness. The very nature of the world is often opposed to the way of Jesus, who represents everything that is right and true. This can make our presence vulnerable and cause us to want to flee at times. Fleeing can be of a physical nature – where we take our actual selves out of a conflicting situation – but it can also include an interior withdrawal: not standing up for what is right in the face of injustice. A perfect example of how disunity affects a group is the recent turmoil at the Carlton Football Club surrounding the sacking of coach Michael Voss. One of our ex-students, Harry Dean, spoke about the effect it had on him in an interview. The issue was not whether Voss was a good coach or not; he became a symbol of division because some supported him and others did not. That fractured the footy team, and they struggled to win games. The week after he left the club, they won their second game of the year. So, disunity affects the way we function. 

For our school, we want to be a community where every student, teacher, and staff member is on the same page: walking together in unity as a School and supporting one another. Last week, however, an incident occurred where we failed to do that. When we came back from the footy, we were asked to walk quietly to the sport’s building. On the way, some students played loud music on a portable speaker. This went against the instruction to walk quietly and caused fallout: the students were publicly reprimanded, which took the shine off what had been an enjoyable day. In a small but real way, disunity entered the fold when we had all been on the same page to act together as one.

So our individual and collective commitment to each other is important for the stability, unity, and wellbeing of our school. When we are tempted to become a source of disunity, Jesus reminds us in his pastoral prayer to be one as he is one with the Father. In this prayer we find strength and hope in the face of temptations that divide us.

Teen Series | Abide and Belong: Finding Your Identity in Christ

 Senior School Reflection | Gospel of John 15: 1 - 8, 5th Wednesday of Easter, 2026, Year B

There was once a college student named Tom who was loved by his peers. Nothing about him seemed unusual except for one thing. Tom had a large red birthmark that ran from one eye, down his face, across his mouth, down his neck, and onto his chest.

One day, a close friend finally asked him, “Tom, can I ask you something? How did you ever overcome the emotional pain of having a birthmark like that?”

Tom answered without hesitation. “It’s because of my dad,” he said.

He explained, “When I was young, my dad would point to my birthmark and say, ‘Son, this is where an angel kissed you. He wanted to mark you out just for your dad. You’re very special to me.’

“He told me that so often that I began to believe it. And now,” Tom said with a smile, “I sometimes feel sorry for my friends who don’t have a birthmark — because they don’t have something that reminds them every day that they are claimed and loved.

That story matters today for us —not because the Gospel is about birthmarks, or settling for less but because Jesus is giving us something even deeper than a daily reminder. He is giving us a vital connection. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus paints a clear picture of our relationship with him, it’s not just about improvement. He says that he is the vine and we are the branches. A branch does not give itself life. It does not decide where it grows or how it receives nourishment. Its role is simple but essential: to remain connected. Jesus does not merely say, “try harder.” He says, in effect, “remain. Abide.” Which can be hard at times. 

Jesus reminds us of a spiritual law: when a branch abides in the vine, it bears fruit; when it separates, it withers. This is why Jesus insists so strongly on that vital word “abide.” Because without him we can do nothing. 

Think of a football team. The team is not self-generated The coach sets the agenda and the training, and the players shows up; they don’t just simply comply, they follow the program so the team’s life can do what it’s meant to do. When they’re united with the coach’s plan in the deep sense of a shared life: showing up, learning the plays, living the discipline, the team flourishes. When one breaks that connection, when he stops showing up, behaves unruly, he performs poorly and eventually stops being part of the vine of the team. 

Like the story of Tom, this Gospel is about acceptance. Not about “accepting your role” or accepting to resign ourselves”, or “settling for less” but accepting the fact that your wellbeing is dependent on another. You are not a self-contained island. Jesus invites us to accept by letting him be the source. We are not the vine. We are not the source. We do not make the rules or decide the direction. We are created by God, sustained by him, and invited to draw life from him. When we accept that reality rather than resist it, growth always follows.

This call to acceptance is not restrictive, nor is it forced upon us. It is an invitation. Jesus invites us to remain close to him, to draw from him as the source of our strength, direction, and identity. He knows what will help us flourish, and he invites us daily to live according to his word a word that calls us to love, holiness, and obedience.

In our school context, these three ideas take very practical forms.

Love begins with basic respect for one another: listening, showing courtesy, and being disciplined in our work. It includes having self-respect. Thomas Aquinas wrote that we cannot truly love others unless we first recognise and value our own worth. In practical terms, that means caring for ourselves, protecting our own wellbeing from harm and knowing this is good and must be preserved as a value. From there we can extend this same good beyond ourselves, carefully looking out for each other, ensuring that the person beside us is safe and respected.

Holiness is about being faithful to the Christian values of this school. It is lived through honesty, consistency, and integrity — choosing what is right even when it is unnoticed or inconvenient. Sometimes it looks like accepting limits and living responsibly: making sure what you share online is safe, true and respectful of your reputation and the school.

Obedience is about being faithful to what is asked of us. In the Gospel, obedience means walking in the footsteps of Jesus, and in John 15 Jesus links abiding to keeping his word: if you abide in me, and my words abide in you. At school, obedience looks like listening to teachers, committing to learning, and trusting that those guiding you are invested in your growth — academically, personally, and spiritually: so remember to pull up your socks, and tuck your shirts in. 

I’m confident that many here already try to remain connected to Christ as branches of his vine by being present, responsible, respectable and ready to learn and apply what you discovered through that process. However, the message to take away today is sharper and deeper than “sticking to the rules.” It is this:

Where we resist abiding?  

What habits, distractions or attitudes that pull you away from the vine of Christ? 

What gets in the way of embracing your role here at school? What prevents you from trusting that you are already known, claimed, and loved?

What might you need to change so that Christ’s words can truly abide in you? 

The story of Tom reminds each of us that we are claimed and loved by God the Father, a love clearly revealed in the Son’s sacrifice on the cross and expressed in the love between a parent and child. Like a branch on the vine, fruitfulness comes not from striving to be a self-contained island, but from staying connected to the source of life, Jesus. When we accept who we are and whose we are, growth always follows as beloved branches in the vine of Christ, children of God the Father, and some of the best students to walk through the school gates.

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Junior Series | An essential good: Jesus' peace. A lesson for students from John's Gospel

Junior School Reflection, Gospel of John 14: 27 - 31, 5th Tuesday of Easter, 2026, Year B

Note: reflection posted one day prior to the liturgical day. 

In this Gospel, Jesus is with the disciples, who are His best friends. Not on Good Friday, not after His resurrection, or after He went to heaven; but the night before He dies. Jesus knew his friends would be sad and scared when He’s gone, just like when a friend or a special family member moves away and you feel alone. However, Jesus says “Don’t be afraid, I’m going to my Father in heaven, and everything will be okay.” Isn’t that nice thing to say to your friends?

Later, when Jesus died, some ran away confused (like the road to Emmaus, Lk 24: 13 – 33). Others felt anxious because bad people hated Jesus and his followers (like Pentecost, Act 2: 1). Jesus saw this coming, so He promised: Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you, not like the world’s peace.”

What makes you feel peaceful? think of a yummy apple: round, juicy, red or green, true apple goodness. It tastes delicious and fills your stomach, making you feel happy. Or you teacher: not someone who you can eat but they know cool stuff, keep you safe, help you learn; true and good right? Good things make us happy and peaceful inside. 

Jesus is the best good thing; He is true like no one else. His words and actions (love others, be kind, pray) are perfect. When He says, “My peace I give you,” He means: Remember me! Follow my ways and you will feel My peace, no more fear or alone feelings. I’ll always be with you.” A wise old scholar, Thomas Aquinas, said peace fills happy hearts with good thing s- like Jesus lives in your heart. Isn’t that a wonderful saying for us all?

When you leave chapel today, try this: when scared, say “Peace, Jesus is with me!” Remember to share kindness with a friend. You’ll feel happy and peace.

 

Jesus,

thank You for true goodness and peace.

Help us remember You always,

especially when we feel confused, scared or alone.

Amen.”

WANT TO READ MORE?

For a similar reflection on peace, click on the link below:

• When life doesn't make sense: a lesson from the Annunciation

Junior Series | Our undivided attention: a lesson from Jesus to students on how to pray

 Junior School Reflection | John 17: 1 - 11, 7th Tuesday of Easter, 2026, Year B

Note: reflection posted thirty-five days prior the liturgical day.

Who likes to watch football? Okay, many of you but not everyone. Who likes to go to the cinema? Almost everybody.

 

When we watch football or go to the cinema, do we distract ourselves by playing with a phone or talking during the important parts? No, because if we do, we miss things. To watch properly, you have to be attentive to what is happening. You don’t just “be in a room;” you are really watching.

 

Prayer is like that.

 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus does something very simple and very important: “When Jesus had spoken these words, he raised his eyes to heaven and said: ‘Father…’”  St Thomas Aquinas explains that there is a difference between our prayer and Jesus’ prayer. Our prayer usually arises from a place of need, while Christ’s prayer is more for our instruction, because there was no need for him to pray for himself in the way we do. Jesus is the Son, and in union with the Father, he is heard. So when Jesus prays, he is teaching us how to pray.

 

What is Jesus instructing us here?

 

Jesus’ prayer shows that our words should follow our actions. Prayer includes attention, reverence and turning towards God, just as Jesus did when he lifted his eyes to heaven.

 

When we give God our attention, we show him reverence; we show him the respect he deserves. God has given us life, good experiences, and the chance to be loved. We might have bad days and feel down sometimes or even get hurt, but God is with us even when life is hard. Because God has given us these good things and the joy that comes from being loved, we give God the reverence he deserves, and we do this by being attentive in prayer. 

 

It’s the same in the classroom. We owe our teachers a similar kind of respect that comes with attentive listening just as we give God our reverent attention.  When you give teachers your undivided attention, you show them reverence; we are not worshipping them but instead showing them the respect and honour they deserve. Like God, our teachers respond to your needs; they know that a good education will help you to learn and grow. They teach you to build your vocabulary, put words into sentence structures, and then help you write essays as you progress through each stage. All this is good stuff for flourishing. So, it pays to give your teachers your undivided attention just like Jesus did in his prayer to the Father.

 

Can we conclude that this passage is only about attention and focus? Not at all.

 

After Jesus shows us how to pray with attention, he teaches us that prayer is also a relationship. He calls God “Father.” Prayer is not a shout into the darkness. This reminds us again of praying like Jesus did: simply and from the heart. It’s talking to someone who loves you. We learn this because when we call someone “father” or “mother,” we know they try their best to love us. In the same way, God is someone we can speak to, someone who loves you and cares about you. God is not far away from you.

 

Lastly, Jesus shows us that we pray with a purpose.

 

Prayer is not an act where we fill the silence; all of a sudden, the film has finished, the game is over, we don’t fill that void with something else to do. We pray for important things in prayer. It’s not always please, please, please, please. Sometimes prayer is about trusting in God’s plans, and asking for what is good. In John 17:1-5, Jesus asked his Father to glorify him. What does this mean to us? It means to let his own actions shine in the world so that others might see the works of the Father through him. We should also learn to ask for this kind of glorification too. We need to ask God to help our actions shine so that others may recognise the works of the Father. Jesus also prays for other people and not only for himself, so we learn intercession. It is good to pray for others; while we are here praying, many people do not pray at all. This means they may not even pray for themselves, so we pray for their peace and wellbeing.

 

So this week, lift up your eyes to heaven and pray for someone. But remember prayer is: to God the Father, with focused attention, with trust, and love for everyone around you.

FURTHER READING

Want to learn more about prayer? Click the link below:

• Praying like Jesus did: simply and from the heart

Teen Series | When life doesn't make sense: A lesson from the Annunciation

Highschool Reflection | Luke 1: 26-38, 6th Wednesday of Lent, 2026, Year B.

Note: Reflection published four days prior to the liturgical day.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that made little sense at the time, only to realise later that it carried a deeper purpose? If that does not resonate with you, it has nonetheless been the pattern of my life. Several years ago, my formation for the priesthood ended abruptly; after seven years of living the vow of poverty in humble obedience, I found myself with almost nothing and shown the door. 

Thankfully, a parishioner nearby offered me temporary refuge for a semester in her non-compliant attic so that I could complete one unit of study while working part-time. However, towards the end of the academic semester, I could sense my host was eager to show me the door as she valued her solitude and didn’t want a long-term tenant. Alongside the studies and work, I searched for employment and accommodation and before I knew it, I found myself renting a room in the country, working on a dairy farm nearby, feeling even more confused. “What am I doing here on a farm?” I wondered. The wage was thin, rent high, and before long I was evicted, only to discover that I had also lost my job. This drove me further into the country, where I slept on a new friend’s couch before eventually settling into a converted chook pen. Even there, exposed to the cold from the nearby river and poorly sealed against the winter, I could not make sense of my circumstances.

The confusion was sharpened by what had come before. At the end of my Bachelor of Science, I was awarded a generous scholarship to pursue a master’s degree. It was sufficient to clear my personal debts and allow me to enter the seminary without delay. Yet seven years later, I found myself no longer in formation but effectively destitute. None of it aligned with the path I had imagined. Like Mary in the Gospel, I found myself asking, “What does this mean?”

In today’s reading, Mary is troubled by the appearance of the angel Gabriel, who brings good news that defies all natural expectations: that she, a virgin, will conceive: “But how can this come about?” she asks. Yet despite the bewilderment and uncertainty, her response is one of extraordinary trust: “Let what you have said be done to me.”

This Gospel reveals that moments of confusion and disruption are not outside the scope of God’s will. When our plans collapse and the present seems incoherent, these very circumstances may be the place where God is at work. At times, life may feel stable and predictable; yet just as quickly, it can be overturned, redirecting our course in ways we neither expect nor desire. In such moments, our Christian response is not despair, but to hold firm in the will of God with faith, hope, and charity, like Mary our model, trusting that even the most unexpected experiences can be gathered in God’s providence.

As school students, even though our experience at high school is of a very high standard, we are not exempt from the disruptions of life: like students in different uniforms in the neighbouring area, we too may feel emotionally low to the point of needing external support. We may also miss out on selection when things seem to be proceeding smoothly or find ourselves injured through an unforeseeable accident. These life’s episodes can throw us off course, forcing us to reconsider original plans that often introduces fear and anxiety due to the uncertainty of moving forward. 

At other times, the disruption is far more serious when we might lose a loved one; it might be a grandparent, a friend, or even someone closer to home. Experiences like these shake us deeply, yet they need not define us. Instead, they can become opportunities in which we rediscover God’s will in our own lives, and learn to accept, with humility, that they are part of a greater plan. Like Mary, who gave the world the Christ child, we too can allow God to use those moments for good, even to the point of changing the course of history, whether here in our school community or beyond the college’s boundary. 

So, what does God have in mind for us? We just keep searching, listening, and be open to saying yes allowing God to work through us to change the world for a better place. 

FURTHER READING

For another reflection based on the same Gospel passage in a different series, click on the link below

• Nuh Yeh Nuh Yeh Nuh Yeh: Embrace the Unexpected and Say 'Yes' to God

Junior Series | Why shouldn’t we judge others? A lesson on forgiveness, integrity, bullying, and choosing mercy over condemnation (John 8: 1 - 11)

Junior School Reflection | John 8: 1 - 11, 5th Tuesday of Lent, 2026, Year B

Note: reflection published three days prior to the liturgical day.

Life is one big journey that brings with it lots of new and exciting discoveries. We make discoveries when we are at school learning a new and interesting topic, when we’re at home watching something new, and of course when we are on holidays with friends and family, going to new and exciting places we have never been before. However, sometimes on these journeys, we face challenges where we choose what is wrong instead of what is right. In the classroom, this kind of mistake might look like speaking when you should be listening; taking something from your buddy that doesn’t belong to you; and on the playground, we might do something a little more harmful and bully someone with harsh words or use force and hurt them, when in fact we should have shown them the basic respect they deserved as human beings and school pupils. So while life is full of fun and exciting opportunities, there are moments on this journey when we make mistakes that make our lives harder.

In the Gospel we just heard and the video we just watched, we learnt of a woman who was caught doing something wrong by influential people. These people are called the Pharisees in this text. They presented the woman to Jesus not because they wanted her punished, but because they wanted to trap Jesus instead. The text said the Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. When Jesus was alive, he wasn’t popular with some people in the community, especially those who strictly followed the law and rejected his message.

The pharisees thought the best way to get rid of Jesus was to try and outsmart him. So, they presented to Jesus a woman who was caught doing something very wrong and asked Jesus his thoughts about the situation. They knew that if Jesus said she shouldn’t be punished, he would go against the Mosaic Law and seem less trustworthy as a teacher. Bur if he supported punishment, Jesus would get in trouble with the Roman authorities, since they reserved the right to carry out punishment. No matter what he decided, it would place Jesus in serious danger.  

If you paid close attention to the reading, you would remember that Jesus said to his opponents, “Let the first person without sin cast the stone.” Hands up if you think you know what Jesus is saying here? What Jesus is saying is that anyone in the room who has never done anything wrong has the right to judge this woman. And if we were paying attention to the story, you will remember that all the people present, ready and willing to punish this woman, left the scene. Every person in that scene had sinned before and, as a result, did not have a right to judge this woman for her actions. 

The lesson from this Gospel is simple: do not be so quick to judge others. Everyone, except Jesus, who is man and God, has sinned. We are sinners, and like the woman in the story and the those who tried to have her punished, we deserve to be heard and understood for the mistakes we make. We are capable of saying sorry and turning away from those mistakes. Sometimes we make mistakes because we do not know right thing to do is at the time. Sometimes our judgements are wrong and so, for this reason, we should be more reserved in passing judgement. Only God knows our hearts more so than ourselves, more so than anyone in this room. Because he truly knows us and understands why we make our decisions, only he is worthy to judge. 

While we are called not to judge others, there is something more important this Gospel reading wants to teach us. While Jesus is the only person in the room with the woman, he does not judge her for her sins. Instead, Jesus forgives her and tells her to sin no more. It’s a hard request, I know, because we are always learning and growing and so we will sometimes make mistakes along the way. But the main point is this: even if others do not forgive us, Jesus will forgive us every time we come to him in prayer. 

This school term, we are learning the value of integrity. We remember that this word means to do the right thing, to stand up for what is right. In our classroom, we listen to the one who is talking; on the playground, we welcome those who might feel left out and has no one to play with. These are just a couple things which we should stand up for. We also just learnt that we should not judge others because all of us here can make mistakes too, even the same mistakes that others make, and sometimes we do not know why the other person has hurt us or another person. More importantly, we should be open to forgiving those who wrong us. This is Jesus’ message. When we become mindful of our own weakness to sin and don’t judge but instead learn to forgive, we are showing integrity. Why? Because it is always the right thing to show our friends, teachers and loved ones.

Now, before I end this reflection, how many here have dobbed on somebody in for making a mistake at home, in class or in the playground? Sometimes, the characters of the Pharisees and the woman in this Gospel reflect our own life:  we make mistakes like the woman, and we are often quick to judge others without recognising our own shortcomings. 

Let’s be people of integrity by showing love and forgiveness.

Disclaimer: Gospel reading taken from Monday 5th week of Lent. Actual reading for Tuesday 5th week of Lent: John 8: 21-30. 

Teen Series | Can You Download Wisdom? Neuralink, AI, and the Gospel: Adapting to Change Without Losing Discipline

Highschool Reflection | Matthew 18: 21-35, 3rd Wednesday of Lent, Year B, 2026

We all love a good shortcut and often wish we could fast-track learning with less effort. In fact, Elon Musk, a name known to most, if not all of us, is developing a brain chip called Neuralink that is designed to connect our minds directly to computers. This innovation may one day allow people to download information straight into their brains. It sounds like the ultimate shortcut… but the question is: would it actually make us wiser? When this technology eventually rolls out, much like tools such as ChatGPT, we will have to adapt the way we learn so that we use these conveniences wisely and continue putting in the effort required to truly learn and understand for ourselves.

In this Gospel we have just heard, Jesus corrects his followers about their misunderstanding of the Law. His disciples thought that because Jesus taught in a new way, the old rules and values of their tradition didn’t apply. For example, it was a custom of the Jews to wash their hands before a meal or entering a sacred place. If they failed to do so, they would become ritually impure. Because some of Jesus’ behaviour seemed more relaxed, his disciples thought that Jesus came with a new agenda to make it easy. Instead, Jesus said the opposite. He explains that he has not come to scrap what already existed, but to fulfil it, revealing its deeper purpose and drawing people closer to God through knowing, loving and serving him. Jesus finishes by warning that anyone who teaches something different from his interpretation of the divine commandments will be held accountable.  

In school terms, this Gospel is like saying that standards, rules, and expectations aren’t obstacles to freedom; they are a framework that helps us grow as a community. I’m sure many of you who are athletically inclined would disagree. We cannot win a football match against another school or local club if we ignore discipline and training. Over time we become unfit and unable to perform on the oval. This is the same for any discipline such as studies, music or performing arts. It’s important that we don’t buy into the lie that we can win any race with shortcuts. Instead, when new methods of learning or training emerge, we adapt and use them wisely. That is what Jesus’ message is about. We must adapt to positive change. Under the old law it was sufficient to love your neighbour as yourself.  This way of loving became renewed when Jesus began his preaching ministry and died for us on the cross. Jesus calls us to something deeper now: to love others as he loved us, even when it requires sacrifice. 

At the end of the Gospel, Jesus tells us that if we change or misconstrue his teachings, we fail to achieve the reaches of the kingdom of heaven. While Jesus speaks about the future life we all hope to share with him and with those we have loved who have died, the kingdom can also be experienced in our present life. Our school tradition teaches that the kingdom of God is nothing other than the perfect life where we appreciate and love each other properly, able to give freely the things we have received from God as gifts. These might include sharing the gift of popularity with those who feel left out, or with gratitude sharing knowledge with those who know less and recognising academic excellence is not just a competition but something we can help one another achieve. Welcoming others and helping people grow are practical examples of respect, a value we have been learning to foster in our own actions throughout this school term.

Over time, however, we perfect our own individual existence, growing in good character and becoming the person God calls us to be. Perfection however requires discipline. As we pursue the disciplined life here at school in our learning and other activities, we discover something new about ourselves and the experience. We discover what we really want in life and that is realising our full potential is attainable as we become closer to God, who himself is the kingdom self-contained.

As a take-home message, I think it’s important to reflect on what is obstructing us from being disciplined, what small changes could we make so that we truly live out our school value of respect this term with discipline, so that we can be our true selves as people of the kingdom in the present.